


Blank Space

by Aunt_MaraJade



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bickering, Bipolar Disorder, Child Abandonment, Competitiveness between ex-lovers, Drama & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Independent Rich Bitch Rey, I’m Down On My Knees Ben, Lovers To Enemies, Mental Health Issues, Panic Attacks, Playboy Ben Solo, Rey & Ben have history, Sex Goddess Rey, Smut, Strangers to Lovers, Sweet/Hot, This fic is 100 percent devoted Reylo, Trust Issues, but don't worry, mentions of bisexuality, mentions of past relationships - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:55:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24280933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aunt_MaraJade/pseuds/Aunt_MaraJade
Summary: Skywalker Enterprises needs a new CEO. Leia wants Ben Solo, her son and last of the Skywalkers, to take his place as the rightful heir to the family empire. Luke, however, has his doubts about his hothead nephew and nominates the only person he trusts to continue his legacy: Rey Niima, aka Ben’s ex-wife.
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 14
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first attempt at writing a Reylo fanfic as well as my first time posting a story outside my native language. So, please be gentle with me - I’m sorry if I’m slowly murdering the English grammar.
> 
> First of all, I want to thank my incredible beta, [ nancylovesreylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nancylovesreylo) who was so sweet, kind and _very_ patient with me and my poor knowledge of English vocabulary.
> 
> The gorgeous moodboard was made by the super talented MagicalGirl. You can find her on [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/SavingWhatILove), [ Tumblr](https://SavingWhatILove.tumblr.com) and [ AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SavingWhatILove)
> 
> The idea for this fanfic was born from a post on Twitter sent by [ @reylomyhalo](https://twitter.com/reylomyhalo). If you’d like to see it, you can find it [here](https://twitter.com/JadeAunt/status/1144091066896977920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw).
> 
> I would like to thank each one of you who liked this tweet, commented on it and said "go girl, do it!" This project has helped me more than you can imagine. I was in a very bad place when I came up with the first draft, and seeing so many of you liking it gave me the strength to start this project and make some other much-needed decisions in my life. Just publishing this first chapter is a big triumph for me.
> 
> If it weren't for each one of you, this fanfic wouldn't be here today. All my love for our beautiful Reylo community.
> 
> ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

So it's gonna be forever  
Or it's gonna go down in flames  
You can tell me when it's over  
If the high was worth the pain  
Got a long list of ex lovers  
They'll tell you I'm insane  
But I've got a blank space, baby  
And I'll write your name  
**Blank Space - Taylor Swift**

The board meeting was finally over. After saying goodbye to some of the shareholders, Ben asks his mother to go ahead and wait for him in the lounge, pretending he still has matters to resolve before they can head out and get lunch. When Leia Organa-Solo summoned him to a meeting about the future of his family's company, the scenario he found was definitely not what he had in mind.

Right now Ben stands alone in the men's bathroom, gripping the sink and staring into his own eyes in the mirror, trying to process what exactly happened this morning. When he entered that conference room he thought his brain was playing tricks on him. After six months without seeing or hearing anything about her, there she was, sitting right next to his uncle, looking as beautiful as the day they met and as cold as the day she left.

Of all the people, from all over the world that Luke Skywalker could have indicated to succeed him after his retirement, to become the new CEO of Skywalker Enterprises, he had to choose _her_. Rey Niima. Aka, his ex-wife.

The irony of it all is that Ben had walked into that room prepared to step back from being nominated as one of the candidates to replace Luke as the chief executive of his family business. He’s never wanted to get involved with this company throughout his whole life - why bother to change his mind now?

But things did change when he learned that Rey would probably be the one to take over from his uncle, after he felt the way she kept defying him during the meeting: pointing out how unprepared he was to be involved in the leadership of the business, how unable he was to provide what Skywalker Enterprises needed, and how his lack of interest in taking part in corporate activities over the years showed how little he would truly be invested in achieving their future goals.

She stood there with that presumptuous attitude, looking at him from above like he wasn't more than an insect under her shoes, someone who wouldn't stand a chance if he ran for chairman against her. If before he had no reason _not_ to forfeit his chance to lead the Skywalker family business, now he has one. A very good one.

Ben is well aware that Rey's nomination to replace Luke is far from being an executive decision. He knows Rey is Luke’s protégée, but that isn’t the only reason she’s running for chairwoman. Rey Niima is the daughter of _freaking_ Benjamin Kenobi, a living legend, the man who saved Skywalker Enterprises from being dismantled and taken away from their family after its founder, Anakin Skywalker, died.

Old Ben mentored Luke until he was old enough and ready to be head of the family business, acting as a valuable advisor without whom Skywalker Enterprises would never have become the empire it is today. Luke owes everything he’s conquered over the years to Ben Kenobi and his undoubted loyalty to the Skywalker family. Rey knew Luke would _never_ deny her request to be chosen as his successor, if she asked.

This definitely has nothing to do with business. _This is personal_. A visible attempt to hurt him one more time, to take everything she can from him, just like she did before. She’d given him hope of being worthy to be loved, appreciated and truly happy. She had made him feel that he wasn’t the broken, awful, and damaged person he was led to believe throughout his whole life.

And now she aims to step into his place as the true heir of his grandfather's legacy, to humiliate him by showing how he isn’t deserving to rule what is his right by bloodline.

But if she thinks he's going to give up so easily she is dead wrong. Ben Solo is a fighter. He can't deny he was more of a “I'll punch you in the face” type of fighter in high school, the only way he knew back then to react when someone dared to say he was a spoiled brat who had everything handed to him on a silver platter.

By the time he went to college, he had got his shit together and replaced his fists with his brain and a lot of hard work. That and that alone brought Ben to where he now stands today – as the right hand of one of the most powerful men in the world, James Snoke, the head of First Order Incorporated.

Ben refused to join his uncle in the family business because he wanted to earn his victories, he wanted to build his way to the top from the bottom so people would stop pointing fingers, accusing him of having it easy in his life.

And now, more than ever, he’s thankful for the choices he made in his professional life. Because if Rey wants a war, he’ll give her a war. And he would be more than glad to bring out the big guns because it’ll feel amazing when he finally gets to kick her perfect, glorious ass.

If he’s lucky, he’ll even even get to give it a nice spanking while winning this competition.

\---------------

**Ten months ago**

On the verge of turning 30, Rey Niima knew that this was the time to take back the reins of her life and enjoy her youth. After all, what would all the years of hard work be worth - the years that gave her the independence she so desired - if she couldn’t enjoy the fruits of such effort? Yes, it was time to put all misfortunes aside and enjoy two weeks of sunshine, hot guys, and lots, lots of sex.

Rey was tired of feeling alone, apathetic, empty. This was not her, this was not the life that her father, Benjamin Kenobi, would like her to have. He was always expressing his concern about the amount of pressure she kept putting onto herself and the lack of social life resulting from her workaholic lifestyle.

Oh, father. How much she missed him was impossible to put into words. The fact that Ben Kenobi was not her biological father never made Rey love him any less. Actually, it made her treasure him even more, since he chose to have her as his daughter.

Rey was in the system for quite a few years before she was adopted, enough ones for her to know how bad it felt to want a family just to be, time after time, rejected. By the time her soon to be father entered her life, she had already accepted that she would never know what it was like to have a real family, one that really wanted to keep her, whatever times were good or bad. But against all odds, Ben welcomed her into his home and into his heart and since then she never felt more loved. Ben Kenobi meant the world to her. And it still felt like an agonizing dream that she couldn't wake up from when she remembered the moment she received that call eight months ago stating that her father had had a heart attack and, despite all the doctors' attempts, they hadn't succeeded in resuscitating him. At that moment a piece of her heart was gone forever, leaving only an empty space that nothing and no one could fill.

After the irreparable loss of her father, and due to those ironies that only the worst of fate has in store for us, in less than a month her ex-fiance, Alexander, had decided to end their two-year relationship. Although not ideal, their connection worked, since, as a commercial pilot, he was away from home just as much as Rey because of his job. But either way, it was comforting to know that she had someone to come home to at the end of the day. Unfortunately, she ended up discovering that she was not the only woman Alex was returning to.

With one more thing to mourn on her back, the only thing Rey could do to hide from the pain was to flee, to hide anywhere far away so that she could drown in the one thing that still kept her from going insane: her job.

Fortunately, at the same time, Skywalker Enterprises had acquired a new company located in Asia, Ahch-To Finances. The new business arm lacked experienced professionals to take on the largest customer portfolios, and Rey was one of the best Virtual Chief Financial Officers in the company. The spot was perfect. Her wish to prove herself as a top executive in the company's new business branch was all she needed at the moment. Work, work, work - no time to face the chaos that her personal life had become.

But all these months had passed and it was time to get back to the real world. She knew that a vacation request might not be viewed favorably after she’d so recently taken over the Asian market. But she also knew that, whether for her relentless devotion to Skywalker Enterprises, or for her father's loyalty and total commitment to the Skywalker family business, Luke Skywalker owed it to her.

And here she was. Leaving the chaos of New York City behind to embark on a five-star cruise along the Caribbean coast. Not bad for someone who’d hardly seen the sun in the last months of her life.

After all, she was a young, beautiful, independent woman with no strings attached that would prevent her from venturing out wherever, whenever, and with whomever she wanted.

\---------------

The cabin that Rey's assistant had reserved for her was perfect. The spa suite featured a queen-size circular bed and a luxurious bathroom, including an in-suite hot tub and a private balcony with an incredible view. And, according to a welcome letter meticulously placed on the side writing table, she would have exclusive access to the courtyard area, concierge lounge, and private restaurant and bar. Beside all those features, she would also have access to a five-star spa experience, including complimentary entry to the thermal suites. Surely back at work she would have to remember to give the girl a thank you bonus.

But now all she wanted to do was to explore the premises. This particular ship was known for its reputation as one of the best destinations for the wealthy and single, and Rey couldn't wait to see the varied options for parties, bars, and local attractions. After leaving New York, it would be two days of sailing before reaching the first destination of the cruise, in Puerto Plata. Until then Rey hoped to visit the pools, lounges, and all kinds of places where she could meet beautiful men willing to have an unforgettable night of hot and casual sex.

Distracted by her lustful thoughts, Rey bumped into what appeared to be a brick wall, only it was made of skin and bones. The impact was so great that her bag flew out of her hands and landed on the ship's floor, opening and spreading its contents everywhere.

“I’m sorry,” said the brick wall in a very deep and low voice.

“It’s okay, I was the one who wasn’t looking.” Damn, all the items in her bag were now scattered on the floor. Cell phone, makeup, small objects, and condoms ... lots of condoms.

She was far from being a prude, so Rey was surprised to feel her cheeks turn red and hot like Mexican peppers.

Helping her to rescue the scattered items and her own shame was a pair of giant hands, whose thick and elegant fingers were able to recover most of her belongings.

“It’s a shame they're not my size.”

“Huh?”

"The condoms," he said blandly. "Never mind. It was just a bad joke.”

Upon getting up, Rey got a better look at the good Samaritan who was now handing her her cell phone along with half a dozen condoms. Standing in front of her was a wall approximately 6.2ft in height, with strong arms, absurdly long legs, expressive chocolate brown eyes, and black hair that seemed so soft that it made her want to slide her fingers through it and never let go. If she could reduce him to one word, she would definitely say he was _delicious_.

"Sorry again," he said, embarrassed, extending one of his hands in order to introduce himself. "Nice to meet you. I’m Ben Solo."

Stunned as how his huge hands enveloped her own, she almost forgot what she was supposed to say at that moment. "Oh, hi. I’m Rey. Rey Niima.”

"So, are you enjoying your trip so far?"

"Well, I just embarked, so... I'm just beginning to explore the nearby attractions. And you?”

“Just wandering around, looking forward to bumping into beautiful women.” Wow, that was suave.

“Well, I hope you are successful in your search. Maybe I’ll see you around?”

Oh, crap! _See you around?_ What was wrong with you? Fuck, get it together, Niima. You just collided with the hottest man you had seen in ages and that was the best pick up line you could come up with? Now there he goes, walking away to never being seen again in this giant boat just because you didn’t have the balls to offer him your number.

She knew she was really rusty after so long out of the seduction game, but that was ridiculous. Well, that battle may have been lost, but there was still a whole war to be won. Better bring out the big guns if she didn't want to spend this entire trip alone, like a sucker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you guys think of this first chapter?
> 
> What do you think will happen next?
> 
> And did you really think those condoms weren't Ben's size? _wink wink nudge nudge_
> 
> Leave your answers in the comments below. I'm dying to know what you guys think.
> 
> You can also find me on [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/AuntJade) or [ Tumblr](https://auntmarajade.tumblr.com).
> 
> You can check my other fanfic “Murder On The Dance Floor” [ here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27508963).
> 
> Kisses, love you all! ❤️❤️❤️


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys! So, here we are. Finally I was able to publish my second chapter. Actually it took me more time to revise it than it took me to write it. 
> 
> But here we come. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> One more time, I have to give the credit to my amazing beta nancylovesreylo, she’s a life savior. This fanfic wouldn’t be the same without her incredible work.
> 
> Love you all!!!
> 
> ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Ben was at his limit. That is why Amilyn Holdo, his therapist for so many years, suggested - _demanded_ , if he was telling the truth - that he take a few weeks off. At first he resisted her request, saying it was just a phase, that things were going to work out. But he had to admit that, even by his standards, the situation was becoming untenable.

Ben was definitely tired. With each new day that passed, he felt dead inside, more distant from people who had once played an important role in his life. Everything was tedious, lifeless, colorless. Even the activities that he once enjoyed were losing their luster. The world around him was turning markedly dull and gray.

Which was a great irony when he thought about his past. Back then, he had a reputation as a playboy because of the lifestyle he led in his early adult years. A life of exclusive parties for the rich and famous, expensive cars, beautiful women - a different one every weekend - and a lot of scandals. Even though he’d left this debauched way of living behind years ago, Ben still carried the stigma of being an inconsequential spoiled rich kid who only lived for the next thrill.

But he wasn’t that man anymore. At the age of 33, Ben Solo had given up on his personal life and chosen to focus on his work as an executive at First Order Incorporated, a holding company where he was head of the department of analysis and evaluation of risks, a position that put him as the right hand man of the company CEO, one of the most recognized names in the business: James Snoke. 

But in the last few years, he’d begun to be haunted by the feeling of not belonging. Ben had always lived to meet other people's expectations, other people’s demands that he put what they wanted him to be ahead of what he really wanted to be, who he already was.

The constant search for perfection led his life to a state of numbness. And how had that turned out?

His relationship with his family consisted of a monthly lunch with his mother - a demand she made - where he always heard the same dialogue that only Leia Organa-Solo was able to sustain: 

_“I still don’t understand why you don’t take over the family business, Luke won’t last forever as CEO of the company.”_

_“When are you going to take the next step and marry a good family girl?”_ \- after all, he always was on New York's top 50 singles list. 

_“What are you waiting for, Benjamin? I'm not getting any younger, so you better make up your mind because I want a grandchild. All my closest friends already have their firstborn.”_

All Ben could do was to respond with his “ok mom, whatever you want” face.

Han Solo, his father, who’d died a couple of years ago from lung cancer, was also not very present in his life. He was a famous Formula 1 driver who was never around when Ben was growing up, always away from home, looking for a new adventure. As for his uncle Luke Skywalker - well, it was best not to mention it.

As for his career, that was where Ben had put most of his focus in the past few years. Relentless, he had advanced rapidly in the company, reaching an enviable position on his competition and on his not-so-friendly coworkers.

However, even this area proved to be unsatisfying, fruitless. He was stuck in his work, physically and psychologically exhausted. Snoke was not the type of boss to be satisfied with the results of his executives, demanding more and more of them and setting increasingly tough goals, which made Ben live for his job, even if the satisfaction of victory was tasteless due to the lack of recognition from his boss.

Yes, he had become an extremely wealthy and influential person with the fruits of his labor. But money had never been a problem for him, and at the moment, he did not even feel like spending all that money on anything that would give him any pleasure in his life.

Pleasure. Lust. Sex. What did that mean in his current love life? Nothing. Because Ben Solo didn’t really do love. Maybe in high school, when he was naive and inexperienced, or in college, when his optimism about a future where he would build a loving family of his own hadn’t yet been shattered by the reality of having his heart broken a few times. He currently had a complete lack of interest in putting much effort into a relationship just to see it blow up in his face. 

So, once again Ben Solo lived a life of solitude. He had neither the time nor the patience to date, much less to establish a strong bond with anyone else. His sex life boiled down to a casual relationship with Bazine Netal, a blue-blooded socialite and the sole heir to the Netal empire - or, as his mother called her, ”the perfect wife” and “a mother's dream to have as a daughter-in-law”.

He had met her at one of his mother's socialite friends' events which she dragged him to from time to time. Hoping to find her son's ideal future wife, Leia had introduced them in the least subtle way possible (his mother was about as subtle as a freight train). Incredibly, Ben found in Bazine a person as bored as he was by the superficialities of the life of the rich and famous that he’d been forced to be a part of since he was a child.

In a way they connected but, in the end, they both saw that their relationship was all about carnal pleasure. They would meet sporadically, have sex, and then go their own way. Staying over once the business was done was off limits - which, for Ben, wasn't necessarily a bad deal. No strings attached. Just sex. No feelings.

And friends. What about his friends? At his job Ben never had time to make friends. His playboy friends all disappeared when he decided to take life seriously. It was sad to know that the closest person he could call a friend was his therapist. How pathetic.

He had lived his entire life in constant agony, trying to please everyone. Even in his most rebellious moments, he was really just trying to call attention to the person he was: “Hey, look at me, look at the person that I am inside. Stop trying to change me!” For once in his life he wanted to be true to himself, instead of always conforming to the whims and expectations of others.

Ben was done. Tired of never meeting the expectations of others, of never feeling like he was “good enough” for the people around him. If he was _really_ being true to himself, for once he just wanted to be loved unconditionally, wanted to feel what it was like to be enough for someone.

Someone who would love him for who he was, regardless of his mistakes and his imperfections. Someone who would stay by his side in good times and in bad. 

This was what Ben was looking for - acceptance, compassion, understanding. For once in his life, he’d just like for the man he was to be _enough_. Nothing more, nothing less.

Well, yeah! To hell with “Ben Solo doesn’t do love.” Who was he kidding? He was just afraid that he would never find anyone who would see in him someone who deserved to be loved.

So, what was he supposed to do now? He knew there was no easy solution to all his problems, so he did the next best thing: he followed his therapist's advice, took a few weeks off, and voilà. Here he was, sailing through the Caribbean looking for some peace of mind. And even though he knew that two weeks of vacation would not be nearly enough to put his life together, at least it was an opportunity to be distracted, even if only in this pointless and hedonistic way.

Looking for the bright side, this cruise wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be. For starters, his room was remarkable, not what he had pictured for a cabin in a ship at all. It was almost like a five-star hotel suite. 

The room was easily fitted out for more than two people, equipped with a living room, a separate dining area, and a bedroom with a very impressive king-size bed. In addition to 360-degree floor-to-ceiling windows and a private balcony with an amazing view, the space even included a bathroom with a whirlpool tub. 

Maybe he had gone a _little_ over the top to reserve these accommodations, but money wasn’t a problem for him so why not just relax and live a little for once. Maybe he missed his playboy days more than he would like to admit to himself.

So, what to do now? This place offered a big variety of activities, and Ben wasn’t in the mood to just pick one of them randomly. It was like wandering through the Netflix catalog searching for something to watch and realizing that you just wasted two hours of your life without ever actually watching anything.

In the end, he decided on picking the safest and most obvious thing to do - hit one of the many bars that the ship had to offer. He had to admit that he was a little nervous when he chose to travel alone on this vacation - not that he had any real friends he could call to join him anyway - but, according to the cruise company's website, “one of the benefits to sailing as a single is cruises are generally social. If you are somebody who is comfortable traveling by yourself and looks to make friends on vacation, there is no shortage of people who you are going to meet.”

That was good news, right? He was single, travelling by himself, looking to enjoy this experience. The only problem was - Ben Solo wasn’t exactly a people person.

Well, maybe one or two glasses of Scotch would help relax his inhibitions.

\---------------

"So, what onboard activities do you recommend before we dock at the next port?" Ben asked the bartender, a young woman with curly brown hair, full breasts, and a smile polished enough not to lead to unwanted advances, but sensual enough to get fatter tips.

"In this exact moment?" she asked. "Now I suggest you enjoy a fine drink to relax and start your night. It's early," she said, leaning on the counter so that Ben could hear her over the music that was blasting at the bar. "In a little while, a man like you will have plenty of options for fun while we’re sailing."

"And what would you do if you were out here and saw a ‘man like me’ relaxing alone, just accompanied by his Scotch?" he whispered, deciding to test if his seduction skills weren’t as rusty as he thought.

"If you sit down and wait for me to see that other customer, I'll come back and tell you what I have in mind." 

_Yes, Ben Solo still has it in him!_ he mentally high fived himself for the small but significant win. 

“As long as you don't keep me waiting too long. Men like me don't have all the time in the world to waste.” Yes, this was fun. Why did he leave all those party years behind him anyway?

But before he could reap the laurels of his victory, he heard a feminine voice cursing just behind him in a very loud and clear “What the bloody hell?”

\---------------

The universe could only be fucking with Rey. After spending hours trying to decide which of the attractions she would chose to have fun tonight and a few more trying to find the perfect outfit for the occasion, the first thing that happened to her when she got a drink in her hands was to bump into an idiot that almost knocked her to the floor, the same place where her gin and tonic now rested.

“Bastard,” was all she could say before the guy vanished through the mass of people now crowding the bar.

“Can I help you?” Someone spoke right behind her, claiming her attention. The voice seemed familiar; she was sure she’d heard it before. It was a velvet one, the kind that would make you shudder just thinking what it would be like to feel it when it whispered sweet nothings at your ear. 

Without surprise, she turned around and found none other than the brick wall who had rescued her and her supply of condoms earlier that day.

“Well, look at that. It seems to me that you are once again my knight in shining armour.” 

“What happened here?” he asked, looking sincerely concerned.

“Unfortunately, it looks like not everybody on this boat is as polite as you.”

“Come on, I’m just trying to help a princess in distress.” Yes, she was liking the way this was going. Let the flirting begin.

“Rey, right? Do you come here often or just when you need people to bump into you?”

“Haha, very funny. You say that because it’s not your brand-new top that almost got ruined by some moron.” She was still looking to be sure the drink hadn’t spilled all over her too-expensive crop top that she’d bought just to rock on this cruise.

“Well, it’s a pity that your drink went to waste. Can I at least buy you a new one?”

Right at that moment, the busty waitress appeared with a Scotch in her hands and a lascivious smile on her face, ridiculously aimed towards Ben. 

Rey saw immediately what was going on. So, the boy liked to spread his charm all over town. Luckily for her, Rey knew exactly how to deal with this type of guy. Cocky, overconfident, self-centered men who think they can have anything or anyone with just a snap of their fingers. Well, well. They'd see who would come out on top at the end of this evening, begging to be dragged to her room. Rey had a challenge on her hands and oh boy, she liked it.

Putting on her most innocent face, she batted her lashes at him and pretended to hide a shy smile. “Oh, only if you don’t mind. I mean, I don’t want to interfere in anything that might be going on here,” she said, turning her look significantly at the woman watching her with a not-very-friendly stare from across the bar.

“The only thing happening here is a guy offering to buy a drink for a very beautiful lady.” Yes, there was the seductiveness again. “What were you drinking?”

“A gin and tonic, please,” she asked the waitress directly, giving her a quick glance that said “back off” to make sure she marked her territory. 

“So, are you sailing single on this cruise, or are you happening to enjoy the ride and spend some fun time with your girlfriends?”

“No, I’m here by myself. Yeah, you can call it lame, but I was working too hard and I thought, well, why not give myself a treat, have some fun and maybe try a new adventure?” And in the meantime have some really hot mind-blowing sex - but that part she kept to herself.

“And you, Ben? Where is your gang of guys? Already scattered through the night looking for the ladies?” She knew how this went - men like Ben liked to hunt in groups. So cliché.

“Yeah, me and my bros, together, having the time of our lives,” Ben murmured as he lowered his head, talking to no one but his glass of Scotch. 

Much to his surprise, when he looked up, Rey was fully smiling at him which earned her a look of complete confusion spread all over Ben’s face.

“What? Come on, Ben. Do you think I can’t recognize sarcasm when I hear it?”

After studying her reaction for a few seconds, Ben’s face lit up with the sweetest smile followed by a shy laugh, and oh, this was bad. This giant, charming, muscle-bound bastard was not only hot as hell, but he was also _adorable_. What was she getting herself into? 

“Well, it seems we’re both in the same situation. Why don’t we keep each other company then?”

“Deal,” Rey said, extending her hand for him to shake. To her surprise, he took it, brought it to his soft lips, and kissed it so gently that she felt a part of her melt. And by part, she definitely wasn’t referring to her heart.

“So, uh… Do you want to grab a table or stay at the bar?”

“You know what, none of them. I’m in the mood for a dance. Shall we?” Rey motioned towards the middle of the bar as an invitation to the dance floor.

“Oh no, I don’t dance.” Ben shook his head while he finished the rest of his drink.

“Come on, it will be fun. I promise.”

“Trust me, you don’t want to see this. Me dancing is like seeing a gazelle being slaughtered by a jaguar. It’s not cute.”

Well, she could work with that. Right now she was being beaten at this game they were playing, and she didn’t like it. At all. She needed to have the upper hand again if she wanted this guy to be licking her Louboutins at the end of the night. So, without hesitating, she grabbed his arm and wordlessly dragged him off to the dance floor.

The look on Ben’s face was priceless. She could smell the terror coming off of him when she started to move to the rhythm of the sound. The bar was playing a sort of electronic music but with a hint of a sexy beat. Perfect. That was all that she needed. This was going to be such an easy kill, she almost felt bad for the guy.

Rey began dancing slowly, starting to like the idea of playing with her food before she ate it. Teasing him, she decided to keep a short distance between them so he could be close enough for her to keep him entertained with her little show, but not close enough to touch. That would happen when she decided, not him. 

Ben stood in front of her, visibly uncomfortable, giving way too much evidence that dancing really wasn’t his forte. Rey mentally congratulated herself while she observed with delight that Ben's confidence was dropping little by little. However, what he did next took her completely by surprise – with the sweetest pleading face she had ever seen, he extended his right hand for her to take. 

Rey would never peg Ben Solo as the type to ask for anything, since his previous attitude led her to put him in the category of arrogant and self-centered men who think they can just take whatever they want, whenever they want. So she was more than entertained when she got to grab one of those guys and show him where he truly belonged – right under her feet. Actually, she had chosen to play this cat and mouse game because she saw that pattern in Ben, and she was in the mood to make one of those proud and self-important pricks understand who was the real boss this night. 

Driven by curiosity and those big entreating eyes, she accepted his offer and he gently pulled her to him, looking deep inside her eyes all the way until he enveloped her hands in his and rested them right over his heart. They stayed like this for a minute while Ben began to swing side to side, never breaking eye contact. It was such a simple move - almost innocent - that she nearly forgot how she ended up here, what she was trying to prove. Not that she wasn't enjoying his attention before, but this was something different, something that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. 

Ben then placed her hands flat on his muscled chest so he could slide his own leisurely over her sides, taking his time while brushing his thumbs delicately along her breasts, his long fingers passing so close to her nipples she had to close her eyes to imagine how good it would feel to have his whole hand worshipping her tits. His hands kept going south, reaching a specific point on her ribs where she was incredibly ticklish, so much so that she had to bite her lower lip to stop herself from giggling like a teenage girl. He responded to her reaction with a knowing smile and a promise to use that information later in his favor. 

Thankfully, he continued his journey until he found her waist and started caressing her lower back. He gently touched the skin exposed by her treacherous cropped top, which had climbed up a couple of inches since she had to raise her arms considerably to keep enjoying the warmth of his wide chest. Suddenly he was bringing her body close to his, so close she was forced to move her hands to his biceps to keep a comfortable position. 

What wasn’t a bad thing at all because, after all, Ben was built like a double wide refrigerator, and she couldn’t help but think how amazing he would be fucking her against a wall. She would truly bet that he could keep her in place just with the strength of his thighs and pelvis, leaving his enormous hands completely free to treat her body and oh my! - she was going down really fast and they hadn’t even kissed yet. _For God's sake, get yourself together, girl. You're losing at your own game, and the opposing team hasn’t even entered the field._

Trying to stay minimally focused, she slid her hands up until she reached the back of his neck but that proved to be a serious miscalculation, because now he not only had access to the bare skin of her neck, but he was also taking her move as an invitation to bring his lips to her ear. She thought she would finally have a stroke when he moved in and sweetly whispered: "You might already know this but I hate dancing. But for you,“ he said in the sexiest tone she had ever heard, “I could dance _all night long_."

And there he was. Ben Solo. The player had finally entered the game. Big pleading eyes and sweet caresses might have snatched the ground out from under her feet but this… This was what she came here for, this was her goal all along. And Rey Niima didn’t play to lose.

Still swaying to the rhythm of the song, Rey decided to turn the tables as she twirled so Ben was now facing her back. The move was strategic, not only because she could keep a little space between them, but also because she could give him a glimpse of her glorious ass. The distance worked in her favor as well, giving her back control of the situation. Ben’s hands were now floating over her body, which gave away that he wasn’t so confident as a moment ago. And that was the thrill of the chase. Now, if he wanted her, he needed to come to her and try to catch her again. Not that she wasn’t praying that he would grab her once and for all and toss her against the nearest wall.

And just like he was reading her mind, Ben finally made a move and whispered in her ear, quietly but confidently: “You know Rey, I would love to stay here moving to this music with you all evening, but I might say that I’m an expert in another kind of dance. And I’m sure I can keep you singing all night long.”

“Well big boy, let’s see if you’re a man of your word, or if you're just in this game to bluff.”

“Oh, you can bet. It’s on, babe!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who's following my work. 
> 
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> 
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> 
> You can check my other fanfic “Murder On The Dance Floor” [ here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27508963).
> 
> Kisses, love you all! ❤️❤️❤️


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